The Supreme Court convicted former Chang Gup, Kanjur and former Dzongkhag Land Record Officer in Thimphu, Karma Jamtsho, for fraudulent registration and encroachment of government land in Debsi, Thimphu. Kanjur and Karma Jamtsho were handed down a concurrent prison term of two years and one year respectively.
The court ordered Kanjur to restitute the sold plots belonging to 18 individuals to the state within two months from the date of judgment. He was also asked to give land replacement or cash compensation including the interest to the 18 buyers. The judgment was passed last month.
The Anti-Corruption Commission received a walk-in complaint in 2014 alleging that Karma Jamtsho had illegally registered 2.82 acres of pastureland belonging to Debsi community into several private thrams. He then profited by selling it to many individuals.
The ACC started investigating the allegations in 2016 particularly the two plots registered in the name of Kanjur’s mother, Tenzin. The commission found two plots named Chakazhing (90 decimals) and Dzomdrakchotenjab (2.82 acres) belonging to Tenzin. The plots are now fragmented and sold to 18 individuals.
As per the investigation, Kanjur fraudulently registered the two plots in his mother’s name between 2000 and 2005. It was proved that plot Dzomdrakchotenjab was actually located in Punakha and already declared as Punakha land during the Thed-Thimphu separation in the 1980s.
The other plot Chakazhing was found to be located near Babesa and not at Debsi where Kanjur had claimed and measured. The investigation found the former Gup altered the map, kappa Thram and arranged falsified community clearance.
The former Chang Gup Naku and Karma Jamtsho knowingly assisted Kanjur in the illegal registration. Naku received 50 decimal land from the same area as complimentary.
Kinley Dem
Edited by Tandin Phuntsho
